Saturday, January 30, 2016

It
has been a relatively quiet month on the Dublin Galway Greenway project. As the
controversy over the East Galway route quietens down, focus has shifted
to the Kildare and Meath section of the greenway. We can only suspect that the
project planners are taking stock after the bruising they received from the
landowners in Galway and are now taking some time out to consider the best way
forward for the western section of the greenway.

But
while the Dublin Galway greenway takes a breather, supporters of national
greenway projects were heartened by the following news updates:

Reconciliation Hopes in
Sligo Mayo Greenway

The
West On Track and the Sligo Greenway groups took some steps
towards a reconciliation over the past month. These two groups have been in
very different camps about the potential use of the Sligo to Claremorris
disused railway. After the Minister for Transport Paschal
Donohue stated that the actual rail tracks have no value in any future
operational railway, it became apparent that the West On Track’s position became
redundant on the need to keep the rusting tracks. It has also been reported
that there is growing interest abroad (especially from German
and the US) in a potential greenway from Sligo to Claremorris.

Kildare gets moving on
the Royal Canal Greenway

Kildare
County Council has started a public
consultation on the Royal Canal Greenway from Maynooth to the Dublin County
border just outside Leixlip. This section will be part of the Dublin Galway greenway.
However, some cycling interest groups, such as IrishCycle.com,
have commented that the standard of the greenway does not meet international
standards as a commuting route for cyclists. Kildare County Council will review
all of the submissions and move forward accordingly.

Lovely Leitrim Greenways

According
to reports
this month, Leitrim County Council will begin its bid to develop two greenway
projects in the county this year. This blog
also reported on this news and the potential connections of Leitrim’s greenways
into a large network of greenways with connection to the Dublin Galway Greenway.

Ulster Canal may get it’s
own Greenway

Waterways
Ireland is exploring the potential of a greenway on the planned Ulster Canal.
Given the success of other greenways along the canals it would seem an obvious
move. An invitation to tender for Strategic Environmental Assessment of the
Ulster Canal Greenway Strategy has been placed on the online. ​The tender can
be viewed here
and comments are open until the 27th January 2016

Dodder Valley Greenway

As
part of a 40M funding announcement
by the government about gateway and hub towns, it was revealed that almost 1.5M
will be allocated to Dodder Valley Greenway (South Dublin Co. Co.) to complete
2 phases of the scheme to install & extend cycle and pedestrian routes. The
Irishtimes
reported, however, that opinion is divided on the project and that some people
fear the project will see the Dodder Valley developed into a cycling
superhighway.

Athlone to Mullingar Cycleway
goes from strength to strength

Following
the successful opening of the Athlone to Mullingar greenway by the Taoiseach in
October, the greenway is getting significant interest with numbers of cyclists
growing rapidly. As predicted with these type of projects, tourism related business
opportunities follow and we are glad to see many new bike hire companies in Athlone and Mullingar
have opened.